I have only a little interest in the Eastern Front of WW2. On Friday I waited for a friend delayed by the weather. So I picked up "Fighting In Hell" edited by Peter Tsouras in The Works (£5) and sat in the cafe reading it as I waited.

The content is written by a number of former German generals about the experience of fighting on the Eastern Front. It is published as written and contains the bias, prejudices, attitudes and training of the authors. If that is borne in mind then it is an excellent if dry read. It covers all aspects of warfare in the Soviet Union - weather, logistics, transport, clothing, health, morale, ground and air though the air side is quite short. Each chapter covers each aspect often with examples, maps and charts.

would you recommend it or say its worth reading? your comments seem positive and yet vague on its worth, perhaps as you began with your prejudice about "I have only a little interest in the Eastern Front of WW2 "?

would you recommend it or say its worth reading? your comments seem positive and yet vague on its worth, perhaps as you began with your prejudice about "I have only a little interest in the Eastern Front of WW2 "?

Now I have finished it I would say that it is a very worthwhile read for anyone interested in warfare because it is written by (defeated) professionals about the factors that affect victory and defeat outwith the tactical and strategic decisions (climate, terrain, logistics, mental health, morale etc). There is comment on how the inadequate preparation and planning for Barbarosa affected the conduct of operations for the rest of the war, the unsuitability of German equipment, vehicles, logistic systems, clothing and weapons on morale and the high rate on non-battle casualties resulting from this.

There are interesting assessments of Soviet combat methods and abilities. Admittedly they are from the German viewpoint only with no balancing commentary.

The last section on Arctic warfare was particularly interesting as an area of war that I knew absolutely nothing about. So if you play wargames on the Eastern Front I woud say it is a very good and useful read.

I am not prejudiced against the Eastern Front otherwise I would not have bought it. I have read a fair bit about Stalingrad and Seelow/Berlin because I have visited the sites. It is just an area of the war that I have little interest in wargaming, the same goes for Pacific Island hopping, the jungles of New Guinea, submarine wargames and more.